Ablaze III: End Game
by A-ccentric
Summary: (Final Instalment of the Ablaze Trilogy) As Kazuma helps Ayano train her contractor skills, the reasons why she has them and the events that lead to it, are slowly coming into the light. Who are the witch hunters? Why does Ayano have her powers? And what happened on the night Ayano's mother died? [Discontinued]
1. Fall

**I know, I know, I know...you guys probably hate me! It's been like over a year and I just havent gotten around to writing the third part of Ablaze, but luckily for you, I've written a chapter at last. Unfortunately, I'm doing this one chapter by chapter so it won't be out as regularly as the other stories were, but I hope you can still read it (and remember it) and enjoy it anyway! Look forward to finding out more on Ayano's powers, her past and of course, Kazuma and Ayano's relationship 3**

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Ablaze III: End Game  
Chapter 1: Fall

 **AYANO**

Ayano dropped against the green grass, feeling the welcomed chill of the fresh morning dew. The sun was creeping up over the pale lilac skies of the early day with painted strokes of gold and white. Few clouds floated overhead, heavy with rain predicted to fall later in the day.

Enriaha slid into the damp dirt, letting the red flames dissolve into the moist air. Hot heavy breaths came from the girl's lips, a heavy ache pounded through everyone of her muscles, and exhaustion weighed down her body.

"I'm so tired." She huffed, leaning her head against the hilt of her sword. Scarlet red eyes died back into a warm gold.

Black boots trod onto the grass in front of her, licked with a wet sheen from the grass. "Is that all you got?" Kazuma teased, lowering himself to a crouch in front of her.

Deep brown eyes stared into her golden ones, swirling with bubbling warmth that made butterflies flutter in her stomach. Pale cheeks turned an even deeper red, her eyes holding his. Twisted edges of his lips turned into a deep set grin, reaching a hand to her face. Cool fingers touched her chin, turning her face towards his.

They had only a few inches between them, Ayano locked in his gaze unable to find the will power to break away. As his face came even closer, her heart raced even faster within her chest. Closer and closer they came. Golden eyes squeezed shut, feeling his hot breath run across her cold skin. "I thought you could do a little more than that." Kazuma scoffed, releasing his grip and standing.

Honey eyes opened again in surprise, looking up at the broad back walking away from her. A small sigh of relief came from her lips and her heart calmed again.

' _Relief?'_ Ayano questioned with shock.

Why would she be relieved?

Before she had any chance to mull it over, she realised what he had said. "Wait!" Ayano exclaimed, shooting up to her feet. "What do you mean by that? I've been working my butt off all morning; I must have made loads of progress!"

Kazuma turned back to her with luke warm eyes, sharp and meticulous. "Yup. You've increased your time by ten seconds." Heavy sarcasm and transparent joy was obvious in his voice. Somehow, he sounded as if he was mad.

"What?" Ayano exclaimed, more bothered about her time than his mood. "Just ten seconds!"

"You can go into the go into contractor state for a whole three minutes and twenty seconds." Kazuma continued with the lark.

"No way..." She uttered, sinking back down to her knees.

Enriaha dissolved into flames, leaving her staring down at her hands in disappointment.

It was unbelievable! It had been six months since they had encountered the witch hunter. They had been training every single day before and after school in order to get better control of her powers, but they've made little to any progress at all. Six months just for three minutes and twenty seconds. It was a lot better than when she had first used it. After the first two months she could use her power without passing out, but she had expected to be a little better than three minutes after all the hard work she had put in. Even worst, she hadn't been able to call back any of the new flames she had summoned except the crimson flame.

Ayano sighed, feeling even more tired than she had done before.

…

 **KAZUMA**

Kazuma's irritation, from wherever it had come, seemed to dissipate looking at the girl. There was a small pang of guilt that echoed in him. Feeling mad at her seemed a bit unjust, and taking it out on her in training wasn't professional.

He remembered when he had first learnt to control his powers. Despite him being a failure at fire magic, he was able to get a handle on his wind powers pretty fast. After four years, he had mastered them.

But Ayano was in a whole different league. There were so many new flames she had access to, each with their own burden on her body. It exhausted her just using the crimson flame. It was difficult to watch in the first months, collapsing after only seconds of use.

Not to mention the fact they still had no idea how or when she made the contract or who the witch hunters really were. There was also the information she had discovered about her mother's death- or more like, murder. Ayano hadn't really mentioned it since. Every time Kazuma had brought it up, she seemed to evade the topic. He supposed it was to be expected.

Signat VI had escaped not long after being taken to the Kannagi jail, disappearing into thin air. One other thing was what had happened with the Konishi, which Ayano had remembered, but once again said nothing.

Overall, Kazuma realised Ayano has been having a rough year and his own quells could wait until a better time.

"It's getting late; you should get ready for school." Kazuma sighed, pulling the girl up by her hand. Saddened honey eyes looked up at the wind mage with a self-disappointed pout. "Don't worry." He said, reaching a hand up to her face. Fingers grazed her cheek, brushing away a stray strand of red hair and tucking it behind her ear. "I'm sure you'll be able to master your power in no time."

A small smile pulled on the girl's lips, feeling hope stirring up inside of her. "Thanks Kazuma." Ayano sighed, touching the skin Kazuma had felt. Once again, they gravitated until there were only inches away from them.

"Erm, I- erm...should go." Ayano stuttered, quickly increasing the distance between them. "See you later, Kazuma." Ayano waved, darting off towards the house.

Kazuma's hand flinched at his side, stuck between reaching out for her or letting her go. In the end, his hesitation got the better of him, letting Ayano disappear into the mansion.

"Dammit." Kazuma growled under his breath, remembering his earlier irritation. Brown eyes stared down at his hand, rolling his fingers into a clenched fist and glaring in annoyance.

…

 **AYANO**

Day break rolled into midday as Ayano stared out the window, speckled with drops of rain racing down the surface. Dark clouds clotted over the sun, dropping the city into shadows and covering it with buckets of water. Dull golden eyes stared out at the flowing water, watching the vague colliding droplets collects at the window pane.

"What's wrong, Ayano?" Yukari asked, pulling up a chair next to her desk. Nanase appeared with her, but instead of finding a chair, she took a seat on the desk on her right. Both of their eyes had concern written all over them. Haven already been told what had happened on Jugo's unexplained orders, they had both become more attentive to Ayano's moods.

"Is it boy problems?" Nanase grinned, trying to dispel Ayano's depressed aura.

"That's right!" Yukari explained, overjoyed to talk about a subject she was dying to ask about. "So, are you and Kazuma dating officially then?" Blonde hair bounced about on her shoulders, fidgeting with excitement.

"We're not!" Ayano denied in embarrassment, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

"Oh, come on!" Nanase jeered. "You're telling me that after all that training, with just the two of you, nothing's happened?"

"Nothing's happened!" Ayano protested. Just as she did, the sudden image of what happened in the morning appeared in her head. Her red blush turned an even deeper shade of crimson.

"Did you see that?" Yukari exclaimed, shooting a finger at her face.

"I did!" Nanase exclaimed with the same intense volume.

"What happened?" They exclaimed in unison, pressing their palms to their cheeks and elbows on her desk with eyes alight with fearsome girl excitement.

"We...well..." Ayano stuttered.

vFeeling overpowered by the intensity of their stares and the pressure of their excitement, the girl caved, explaining what had happened in the morning.

It wasn't an unusual thing to happen. Ever since what happened with the witch hunter, they had gotten into predicaments just like it. Not only that, but the frequency of it happening had started to increase. At first she thought Kazuma was teasing her like usual, however she felt it harder and harder to pull away from him or claim it was joke.

"He was _so_ going to kiss you." Yukari deduced

"Definitely." Nanase agreed. "So," she said. "Why did you run away?"

"I did _not_ run away!" Ayano exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table in shock and anger.

"You did." Yukari said, returning the red-haired girl to her seat. Golden eyes turned down to the hands on her lap, fidgeting with the silver bracelet on her wrist. It was a sealing bracelet to help contain her powers that Kazuma had given her.

"I did, didn't I?" Ayano sighed, dropping her head into her palms with a groan of despair.

"Don't you like Kazuma?" Yukari asked.

"I do, it's just-!" Ayano let out a growl of frustration, sinking her head further down onto her desk. "I don't know why I'm doing it."

"Hmm...maybe you're just not ready?" Nanase patted the red-haired girl's shoulder.

"Maybe." Ayano groaned, turning back to her rainy window.

"Never mind that." Yukari moaned, turning the girl back towards her. "It's your birthday next week right?"

"Really? It's that close!" Ayano exclaimed in surprise. The months had gone by so fast she didn't even realise it was so soon.

"Don't worry!" Nanase grinned, wrapping her arm around Ayano's neck, giving her a big squeeze from behind. "We've got it sorted." Yukari gave a wild smile that felt ominous in Ayano's eyes. But if she couldn't trust her friends, who could she trust? Ayano gave them a reluctant smile and decided maybe a surprise might be better for her.

…

 **AYANO**

Ayano slid an umbrella from out of the stand and went towards the door. Other students were already rushing outwards, passing the hesitant girl stood on the doorstep of the rain. Golden eyes looked down at the umbrella in her hands, and then back to the rain. Normally she would go and meet Ren and walk home. However, a strange longing in her heart didn't agree with her usual routine.

Before she knew it, she was already drenched and walking.

Rain washed over her red hair, plastering it to the edges of her cold face. Wet fabric clung to her skin, her hands covered in a slick glove of water, empty of any former umbrella she had before, though she had no idea where she left it. Silence seemed to shroud around her like a thick fog, blocking any unnecessary noise that might have distracted her. Cars moved in silence through the street, people's mouths form words but no voice came out and trees rustled without sound in her noiseless world.

When Ayano's feet came to a stop, they were lined with thick mud, soaking into the edges of her socks. Dark eyelashes balancing heavy droplets of rain staring down at the stone plaque looking up at her.

' _Here Lies Crimson Kannagi. Beloved Mother, daughter, wife.'_

There were no tears on Ayano's face as she looked at its showered surface. Something inside Ayano ached, pulling her knees to the ground.

Mud caked all across her bare pale legs, as her hand reached out. Cold fingers pressed against the icy metal of the headstone, wiping away the gleam of water which replaced itself just as fast. "Mother..." Ayano uttered.

"Ayano?" A voice appeared next to her.

The girl hesitated before she turned towards it, looking at the drenched brown haired mage stood over her. He appeared with caution, stood a few feet away from her like she was some timid animal.

"After she died," Ayano spoke quiet and calm, continuing to brush away the water over the surface. "I came here and vowed to get stronger. I wanted to make her proud. But I just..." The tears began to wash over her eyes, colliding with the rain on her face. "When he told me she was murdered I-"Ayano's voice cut off into sobs, unable to bring herself to say anymore.

Kazuma was already reaching his arms around her, pulling her into a strong embrace. Her ice cold skin pressed against his, sending shivers down his spine. Fabric wrapped around her shoulders in the form of his jacket, dragging her even closer against his body.

"It's okay." Kazuma whispered, pressing her face into his shoulder. Fists wrapped around his damp shirt, pressing herself so close to him with smothered sobs of sorrow. "You'll get stronger...I'll make you stronger, and then we can go defeat who's responsible." Kazuma promised, sliding his arms around her back and under her knees.

...

 **KAZUMA**

He stood up, holding her limp body cradled in his arms. It seemed he had carried Ayano's weight many time in the past year, but he knew it was only a fraction of the burden being placed on her shoulders. His past with the Kannagis no longer mattered, nor his past with Ayano. He wanted to help her, protect her and be with her, and he would.

He wouldn't make the same mistake again. "I'll help you, Ayano." Kazuma whispered, carrying her across the graveyard. "I promise."

…

 **AYANO**

When Ayano awoke, she felt the bubbling warmth cocooning her skin. She pressed against something tough and hot under the veil of her sheets. Her head nuzzled deeper into the warmth.

It responded with a soft groan, jolting the girl up in surprise.

Golden eyes looked down in pure shock at the shirtless wind mage laid in her bed. It was even bigger surprise to notice that she was only wearing her underwear.

A loud squeal escaped out of her lips, awakening the sleeping wind mage. Innocent brown eyes cracked open, looking up at the girl.

"What are you doing in my bed, Kazuma?" Ayano screeched, pulling her sheets up around her chest.

"Me?" Kazuma questioned with a dark tone to his voice, brown eyes narrowing on her. "What am _I_ doing?"

Suddenly Ayano was pressed back down against the mattress with Kazuma above her.

"K- Kazuma!" Ayano exclaimed.

"What are _you_ doing, Ayano?" Kazuma growled, pushing his face closer to hers.

"W-What do you mean?" Ayano stuttered, her voice faltering into a small mutter. Golden eyes were beginning to be pulled into his deep brown eyes, staring down on her with such strong emotions that hot flushes radiated across every inch of her skin.

"Not coming straight back after school. Taking a little trip out in the rain without an umbrella. Almost catching a cold." Kazuma listed, not moving his eyes an inch away from hers.

Ayano could only remembered vague things about what happened the day before; the rain, visiting her mother's grave and Kazuma appearing. She thought he had said something to her, but she couldn't quite recall.

"Stop making everybody worried." Kazuma scolded softly.

"You were worried...about me?" Ayano uttered softly, completely gliding over the point he was trying to make.

"And what if I was?" Kazuma growled, his voice turning from concerned to sadistic in an instant.

He brought his face closer to hers, touching a cool hand on her bare stomach. A small gasp escaped from her lips in surprise, increasing the blush on her face.

Her attention was all over his lips, yet, her gaze was still unable to pull away from his eyes. Ayano felt her voice catch in the back of her throat.

Kazuma's fingers moved up the centre of her chest to her neck and up her chin. He turned her face closer to his. He felt the pulse of Ayano's heart under his finger tips, racing a mile a minute, mixed with fear, anxiety and longing.

A deep sigh escaped the wind mage's lips, pressing his fingers against her chin again. Her tipped her forehead towards him and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Then he stood up from the bed, leaving Ayano laid stunned.

Kazuma pulled a brown tank shirt on, gripping to all his muscles, turned and left the room.

At the doorway, he hesitated, looking back over his shoulder.

Amber eyes caught his, noticing all the emotions in turmoil hidden beneath the calm, uncaring mask. "We have training in an hour. Go and see Jugo and then come to the training grounds."

And then he left.

"What was that about?" Ayano whispered, sitting up and staring at the doorway.

Although Kazuma was still present in her thoughts, Ayano pressed them back as she entered the door to see Jugo. Ren wasn't there like he usually was, wondering if she was okay.

…

 **AYANO**

Jugo caught her looking at the empty cushion and explained. "Ren was sent on a job with Genma." He said.

She kind of felt sorry for her cousin; going on jobs with Genma wasn't exactly what Ayano would call fun, although Ren did enjoy contributing to the family.

She had to admit she missed jobs, having been banned from going on one until she was able to control her powers- which was a judgement only able to be validated by Kazuma. It would be decades before she would get Kazuma to acknowledge her control of her power.

"Oh," Ayano replied, sitting down on the space provided for her with a red cushion. "What did you want to see me for?"

"I believe there is something I need to tell you." Jugo began, resurfacing a sick knot in Ayano's stomach. "It's been six months and I believe you need some answers. I had trouble finding those answers, but now that I have most of them, I want to tell you."

"Father, I-" Ayano began.

"I know you might not want to hear them, but I believe they are something that you need to know." Jugo pressed, showing that Ayano had no choice.

Ayano reluctantly relaxed underneath his glare and let go of any argument or excuse she had been prepared to use.

"How much do you remember?" Jugo asked. It was the first time anybody had asked her so direct.

In the six months after everything had happened, she had noticed people trying to fish for any estimation of what she knew without having her tell them. Kazuma and Ren were the same.

"I remember most of what happened at the Konishi's, but I don't remember when I used my power and-" Ayano began.

"I don't mean that." Jugo stopped her. Ayano's eyes turned to Jugo in surprise, confusion clearly written all over her face. "I already know that you've recalled those memories."

"Then what-?" Ayano's voice drowned itself out with her thoughts jumbling around in her head trying to figure out what it was he was asking about.

"I mean what happened to your mother." Said Jugo.

Golden eyes snapped onto his, the sudden pang of emptiness she had felt at her grave yesterday returning.

"I... I don't..." Ayano's voice slipped away.

An old memory of a long forgotten dream popped up in her head.

During the aftermath of the Konishi's event, she remembered her old childhood nightmare returning. "I had that dream a while back..."

"That dream?" Jugo asked.

"The nightmare I always used to have as a child." Ayano continued. Golden eyes fell down to her lap, her thumbs folding over each other again and again. "I'm always running, sounds of people screaming behind me. The further I run the more silent it gets, each voice stopping one by one. At the end I always call mother's name. Then I wake up." When she finished, she turned back up to Jugo with tired eyes. "The only other thing I know is what that Witch Hunter said."

A long sigh escaped Jugo lips, staring at his daughter with pained eyes. "Your mother was murdered."

Ayano flinched, dropping her eyes back down to her lap like rocks thrown into water.

Jugo continued. "I want to explain everything to you Ayano. I had kept quiet over the years but with everything that has happened, I believe you are strong enough to handle what I am about to tell you."

Ayano said nothing, still staring down at her lap.

Jugo sighed again, leaning an arm against the rest by his side. "I will start from the beginning." He said. "Around the time you were six years old, we were in the middle of a battle between us magic-users and the Witch hunters."

"Witch hunters?" Ayano jumped.

Jugo nodded.

"Witch hunters were a radical clan rivalling the size of the Kannagi's, desperate to extinguish our magic power. Their beliefs said that magic was the power of the devil, and that to be freed from our sins and be allowed into heaven, we had to be purged." Jugo explained. "Me, your mother and all the rest of the families had a hard time fighting with the Witch Hunters. It became a world of _'Kill or be killed.'._ This was eventually what led to the destruction of the alliances with all the magic families."

Ayano listened in silence, feelings the pile of dread beginning to grow in her stomach with the subtle change of Jugo's tone.

"Eventually, the families managed to destroy nearly all of the witch hunters with great losses on our side. Your mother wanted to take you away for your safety, being the possible inheritor of the family. Kazuma and the infant Ren, were taken away to a different location. We never thought they would find you. I was away at the main house when it happened."

"A group of Witch Hunters broke into the house, they killed all the guards that had been stationed there. Your mother tried her best to kill them before they got to you, but..." Jugo's voice cut off for a small moment of painful silence, looking down at his hands, similar to Ayano's own fiddling. Old worn fingers soothed over the scars and wrinkles, looking for the will to carry on.

With a deep breath, he began to speak again. "You walked in just as it happened. Your mother used the last of her energy to form a barrier around you and protect you from the Witch Hunters. When we arrived, the house was burnt to a crisp with you, your mother's body and the other killed Kannagi's untouched. Only you survived. We found you unconscious, laid with your mother."

" _I_ burnt the house down." Ayano whispered.

Jugo slowly nodded, the truth sinking in, Ayano made them ache from the heavy burden. She couldn't bring herself to cry, too busy trying to swallow what she had been told. "That was when I made the contract then?"

"Most likely." Jugo nodded.

Ayano went silent against, her shoulders shaking with no tears on her cheeks. "Your power seemed to remain dormant until the Konishi's. We had no idea how to control your power or how to tell you what happened. I'm sorry, Ayano." Jugo waited, searching her hidden face for some kind of sign.

Some time passed before Ayano spoke again. "I understand." She uttered, keeping her voice calm and steady. "May I be dismissed?"

"...Yes." Jugo replied after a moment of hesitation. "I have told you everything I had to."

Ayano rose to her shaking feet, keeping her head bowed low. "Thank you." She said, before turning and leaving, closing the door behind her.

…

 **KAZUMA**

Ayano stood on the training field, her red hair tied in a long pony tail on the back of her head. Black training clothes, developed to be somewhat resilient to her flames, hugged her body. Enriaha was between her enclosed fists, pointing outwards at the wind mage. Kazuma's eyes were attentive, watching her with caution.

He knew what she had been told only ten minutes ago, and was surprised when she came and found him, demanding they start training early. It was true Kazuma told her to come and see him after she had seen Jugo, but he had expected a longer delay before she found him. Then again, it was just like Ayano to choose violence to deal with her frustrations.

Warm brown eyes turned into a deep azure blue just like the clear sky above them.

Ayano took a deep breath, shifting her hold on her sword just a little. Ruby red light swallowed up her honey gold eyes, lighting up her sword in burning crimson flames. Its appearance flickered and shifted in the heat waves, rippling until it was singed into sharp silver, clad in a red frame with a crimson handle.

Kazuma's thumb switched the stop watch in his pocket before preparing himself to fight.

Wind summoned up and around his feet, pulling out the power he needed to counter Ayano's attacks.

There was no hesitation as she came at him fast and aggressive. Red flames burst up into the sky with a heat wave rippling across the entire city.

Strong winds managed to keep them back, swallowing the oxygen from them and simmering them down.

They burst back even hotter and stronger every time he tried, acting more persistent than usual. Ayano swung the blade forwards, sending a rippling wave of flames straight for the wind mage.

Gusts of air swirled around him like a tornado, catching the flames and forcing them upwards.

Ayano showed no signs of stopping. More flames roared up higher and higher, coming at him faster and stronger. They began to pursue him through the winds shoving them upwards, reaching closer to the wind mage.

Kazuma looked down at the pocket watch in his pocket, keeping most of his focus on blocking Ayano's attacks and directing the flames away from him.

 _Three minutes and thirty seconds._

Kazuma had to do a double check just to make sure. Ayano had to be exhausted, but no matter what he thought, both her and her attacks kept coming, both clad in crimson flames.

Enriaha cut straight through his air, disrupting the wind and letting the flames burst through.

Kazuma ducked and dodged out of the way, missing the fire by just a few millimetres. Currents of air caught his body and thrust it up into the air.

Kazuma looked down on the red haired girl, her face beaded in sweat with eyes locked in their crimson glow. But the deeper he looked, the easier he noticed the colours shivering in her eyes.

Kazuma had no choice.

He reached an arm to his side, summoning a handful or air.

Enriaha pointed towards the ground, sending a burst of flames powerful enough to launch the girl through the air. Blue flames burst up for a millisecond before the fire hit the ground, creating enough force to stop the flames eating into the Earth and giving the girl enough thrust upwards.

Winds jumped forwards at the approaching girl, crimson flames leapt up a second before it hit, trying to misdirect them, but failing under their pressure.

The wind wrapped around her limbs, before being swallowed up by the bracelet on her wrist. The silver bracelet burned with an azure blue glow and swallowed up all the flames in an instant. Enriaha went back to its original state and dissolved into thin air.

Ayano was caught by a current of air, lowered down to her feet with Kazuma landing nearby her.

Knees collapsed weakly under her body's mass weight, falling forwards into Kazuma's arms. Hot panting breaths came from her lips, pressing her sweat-beaded face against his shirt. "This is what you get for trying to seriously kill me."

"I couldn't kill you even If I tried." Ayano wheezed, trying and failing to find her feet beneath her.

Kazuma lowered her onto the stone bench near the flower bed, keeping a supporting arm around her shoulders. They stayed in each others company in silence for a few moments before the red-haired girl broke it.

"I don't remember..." Ayano whispered.

"You don't have to remember." Kazuma replied to Ayano's surprise.

Her chin turned upwards towards him, golden eyes staring up into his calm face. Deep brown eyes looked out into the azure blue sky, reflecting against the gloss of his irises. "Even if you don't remember, it doesn't mean it's a bad thing. The past won't change the present or the future."

"Says someone who kept a pretty tight grip on his grudge for so many years." Ayano joked, turning up to the sky painted in the blue colour she thought was so beautiful.

"I wonder when I stopped holding on so tightly?" Kazuma sighed, deep brown eyes turning towards her. Warm hands ran through her hair letting the black bobble come loose. Red strands of hair fell like a shower over her shoulders and around her face. "Maybe it was because of you," he whispered, bringing a soft strand to his lips. Hot red crimson crept up her cheeks, staring at him in surprise.

"Kaz-" Ayano muttered. Her voice was cut off by the sharp voice of another.

"You must be the young Lady Kannagi." The voice called, catching the girl by surprise.

Ayano leapt to her feet, whipping around to the figure behind her.

Before she could get a good look at his face, her exhaustion caught up with her. Dizziness swept over her head, knees collapsing beneath her, eyes fluttering into darkness.

"Ayano!" Kazuma exclaimed, catching her by the shoulders. Her staggering body stabilised, pressing against his warm chest, damp with sweat. All his muscles stiffened and rippled under his thin shirt, radiating a pulsing heat. Blood rushed up to her head again, making her feel dizzier.

"Oh my, am I interrupting something?" The voice reappeared, retracting her attention.

Golden eyes wandered up to the sharp face. Pale deep-set features stood out against his dark tanned skin. Wide broad shoulders contrasted the thin arms and legs that held his towering body up tall. White hair fell all the way down his back. Eyes were a crystal white with an underlying hint of lilac. Contrasting to his body, he wore a deep black suits with a neck tie and vest with a tall black hat.

"Who are you?" Kazuma growled, feeling somewhat threatened by his appearance.

…

 **AYANO**

Ayano felt a strange feeling of unease looking at the man, as if his aura was screaming suspicious.

"My name is Viser Discount." He smiled, with a voice much softer and younger than his appearance perceived him to be. He seemed to have a timeless face that not even a thousand years might change- and probably a whole history of experience behind it.

"What do you want?" Kazuma continued, his voice dropped into a lower less-threatening speech midway just as he caught something in the corner of his eye. Ayano followed his gaze and caught a familiar figure approaching along the veranda.

"Father?" Ayano puzzled, watching him approach.

Viser Viscount didn't look behind him, but instead smiled with a grin that you might use if you were meeting an old friend.

"Viser is here on my request." Jugo answered Kazuma's question. "Though it was a difficult request to place."

"What's he here for?" Kazuma turned to Jugo. Viser continued to smile down at Ayano, making her feel nervous under his blind stare.

Jugo looked at Kazuma for a small moment before checking their surroundings with suspicion. "Let's talk in my room." He said, proceeding to have Viser follow him.

Both the exhausted Ayano and Kazuma followed after them, stopping as they passed the kitchen door to have someone make her a hot drink with caffeine to wake her up.

As she went to take a sip, Viser thought it would be the best time to tell her not to do it.

She jumped at his voice and almost ended up spilling it all over the old man.

He said no more, and Jugo just nodded in reluctant agreement, looking at the man with just as odd a stare as Ayano was.

The drink was changed to decaffeinated tea and Viser said nothing when she drank it and followed them both into Jugo's conference room. Four red cushions were sat out for them, Kazuma and Ayano on one side facing Viser, and Jugo on his higher throne.

"Shall we start?" Viser spoke first, adjusting the tie around his neck.

"Like I said before, start _what_?" Kazuma repeated.

Ayano sat back, content with letting Kazuma ask the questions as she tried to calm the anxiety twisting knots in her intestines. The rest of her body felt numb with exhaustion and Kazuma moved closer to her without asking to act as a prop by her side. She dreaded what was so important that it couldn't wait until later on.

Viser sat content in his seat, his eyes glazed in a dreamless daze, contrary to how he was when she first met him.

"Viser is an Earth-user." Jugo began. His thoughts seemed to complicate themselves on his face as he tried the best way to explain himself. "But not like an ordinary magic user. Rather than using the physical aspects of his magic, he uses the spiritual side. He's a nomad of sorts -a very rare kind of magic user."

"So he's an Earth-user nomad who can use spirit-magic?" Kazuma interpreted.

Viser didn't speak or acknowledge the subtle cynicism of Kazuma's tone -if he was acknowledging anything around him at all. His eyes, even in a dazed wonder still sat on Ayano as they had done every time she was in his line of sight.

She couldn't manage to draw her eyes away from his milky pupils, noticing the hidden lilac colour that must have been beautiful before he was blinded.

"It's rude to stare." His voice spoke so sudden it made Ayano flinch.

Kazuma and Jugo paused mid-sentence looking back to her and Viser who had once again fallen into silence.

Kazuma looked confused at her, seeming not to have heard anything at all.

Ayano turned to the older man with a furrowed brow, wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her.

Ayano looked down at her feet, mulling her mind over and over while Jugo and Kazuma went back to their conversation. Golden eyes flickered up and away from Viser's face, still feeling the lingering sense of him watching her.

After about thirty seconds, her mind was convinced he had said nothing at all and that he was just a blind old earth-user, and looked up at him with a meticulous gaze. It stayed steady on his face, confident and unmoving.

"Do you want to remember?" His voice resonated through her mind like an intrusive murmur. Her eyes leapt to his face, baring into him as the realisation hit.

She was startled at first -a normal reaction when someone speaking in her mind, erasing all irrational thought. She relaxed before Kazuma and Jugo noticed, melding into the side of Kazuma's thin shirt. He seemed to inch closer in response.

She hid her smile and instead remained still against his shoulder, eyes meeting the grey-lilac pupils of the old man, piercing her as if she was glass.

"How-?" She said in thought.

He ignored her attempt to find reason behind whatever psychic magic he was using. Instead, he dragged out the questions she tried to hard to bury. "Do you want to remember what happened?"

Ayano paused. She recalled the nightmares of her mother and what had happened so many years ago, and it tormented her not knowing what had really happened- reliving the memory by virtue of her father's account. But even though her restless curiosity wanted to know, could she really handle it?

Her mother had been murdered, and she had seen it. She had also made her contract with the fire spirit, who gave her the tremendous power she had just unlocked. If remembering meant she could learn who was behind the death of her mother, and how she could contact the fire spirit and learn to control her powers, then the fears she had shrunk in contrast.

It pained her to say it, but she knew it had to be done. "I do." She said, snatched into darkness.

…

 **KAZUMA**

Ayano slumped forwards, her body collapsing into the wind mage's lap.

He startled in surprise, colour falling from his face. "Ayano!" Kazuma yelped, scooping the girl close to him.

He tried to rouse her awake, desperation in his voice and eyes, but no matter how much he tried, Ayano's body was cold and silent -not even her chest was moving.

Jugo was stunned in his seat, eyes consumed by a momentary fear before the puzzle pieces clicked together. "Viser!" He snapped, turning to the white-haired man. "What did you do?"

Kazuma, still drowning in shock, turned to the Kannagi head and then to the older blind man and back. "What do you mean?"

"She consented." Viser said, and that was all.

"Jugo!" Kazuma roared, pinning Ayano's cold body to his chest. "What's going on?"

"Kazuma, Ayano isn't dead." He said. Kazuma glued to his face, his hand resting around the neck of the girl where her heart beat was vacant.

"But...she isn't breathing..." Kazuma's voice fell soft and quiet, despair struggling against painful hope.

"She's alive, her body has gone into a coma, and her heart has stopped but she isn't dead."

"HOW CAN SHE BE ALIVE IF HER HEART HAS STOPPED?" Kazuma roared. Azure blue danced in and out of his eyes, tempering his anger and rage.

"SILENCE!" A shrill voice burst through his mind.

His voice froze, his power empty, his body weak. Kazuma swayed, struggling to stay awake against the cries of his body craving for slumber against his sudden exhaustion.

Jugo looked at Kazuma with sympathy, casting an irritated glare at Viser. It took all but a few seconds for Kazuma to realise it was the old man who had done it- and not only to him, but to Ayano.

He wanted to demand answers from the man and shake him hard enough that his head might fall off, but he couldn't find the strength to move his body. His voice was complete silence, letting his questions fade into the vast emptiness of the universe.

"Kazuma, listen to me." Jugo spoke, his voice calm and reassuring. "Ayano has entered a deep trance by magic induction. It can be dangerous on her physically, so her body has been suspended in time until she breaks free. She is not dead though her heart has stopped. Believe me, she would not have entered this without giving her consent. It's essential to get her memories back."

Kazuma was reminded of Ayano's despair less than an hour ago. Her memories would be painful for her, despite how essential they were. If only he could be there with her and protect her.

"Not all memories have to be witnessed alone." Viser whispered, leaving the wind mage a riddle he had no time to solve before darkness stole him too.


	2. Monster

Ablaze III: End Game  
Chapter 2: Monster

 **KAZUMA**

The laugh of child roused Kazuma awake. Bleary eyed, with sleep still clinging to his body, he sat up, scanning his surroundings. Long hallways reached around the corners, paper walls and wooden floor boards pressed beneath him.

Feet pattering across the floor caught his attention as he turned just to see a flash of red nearly crash into him.

Instead she passed by him, not without stepping straight through his leg first.

Kazuma gasped at the sight, dragging his leg closer, expecting there to be a hole, or a footprint straight through his leg.

There was nothing.

His leg was normal -except the fog shrouding it. He brought his hands to his face and waved them, a clinging trail of smoke following after each one as it moved.

He stood, letting his dull thoughts wander as he placed his hand against the wall with curiosity tingling through his fingers. He pushed forward and watch his hand sink through the wood, disappearing like smoke.

He pulled it back and forth several times before his mind finally accepted that he had the consistency of the ghost. It both intrigued him and disturbed him.

He heard the giggle of laughter again, turning his head to the corridor as feet once again echoed in growing volume. His eyes glared into the hallway, waiting for the little girl to appear again.

A flash of red caught his eyes and he locked onto it, seeing a small girl come running through. She stopped and turned in

a single pivot of her foot, her red hair covering her face while she looked back in the direction she came from. She was quiet but the faintest grin on her lips could be seen through a gap in her long hair.

A flash of his own memories enveloped him in a second, recognising the little girl before she turned. Bright red hair fell down to her waist, big golden eyes stared towards him, a wide grin on her pale, rounded face.

"Ayano?" Kazuma breathed.

For a second, she blinked twice, staring hard at the corner he semi-vacated. Kazuma's heart beat fluttered in his chest.

 _Could she see him?_

He got his answer when she looked away again, staring back down the other hallway.

Kazuma sighed, feeling his heart rate settle.

Out of curiosity, he followed her forwards to where she stood, looking down the hallway with her.

To his surprise, the hallway was empty.

Ayano continued to stare with an expectant look.

Soon enough, he could hear the hiss of something approaching, and what seemed like the fluttering of wings. Bright light stung his eyes for a split second before it dimmed and his mouth found itself falling to his ankles. Creatures came racing through the hallways, beautiful, dazzling blue creatures; a horse, a rabbit, a bear, a turtle, a bird and a fox, each one only a slight bit higher than his knee. They came surging forwards with the speed and brilliance of the very flames they were made from; the blue divine flame.

Kazuma was outstanded. He stood and stared as the creatures jumped and frolicked and rubbed against the small Ayano, each creature up to the height of her short waist. She giggled and laughed, giving each one affection in turn before they dissolved into a small few embers that died moments later.

Ayano gave a confused whine of disappointment at the speckles of ashes around her before picking up her feet and racing off again.

Kazuma had to jog to keep up with her little feet flying through the hallways. He had no idea how she could figure out her way around the place; the hallways seemed to twist and turn in endless circles. He was pretty sure they had turned right four times at one point, yet they were always ending up somewhere new.

Kazuma remembered it was Ayano's memories he was visiting, and as he watched the little girl run, he found himself smiling at her happiness.

But happiness didn't last long and Kazuma was coldly reminded of the harsh truth about the visit.

This was the time when Ayano makes her contract, and Crimson Kannagi was murdered. His heart sank in his chest at the approach of something so cruel.

Ayano slowed after another few turns, passing by an open doorway to the outside. The night was veiled in darkness, and covered in stars.

Ayano paused by the door. It came to Kazuma's attention how quiet the house was. The darkness of the porch stretched out into a dark garden, reaching endlessly into the distance. Ayano stood still for a few moments, eyes watching the horizon. Did she see something? Like a flick of a switch, her caution was gone and her feet pranced into the room after next.

She looked up at the door, bouncing with excitement on her feet before she reached out and knocked on the door. As soon as she did, her body pinned itself up against the side of the wall, hiding her from view should the door be opened.

Kazuma realised it hadn't occurred to Ayano that it was a paper wall and her shadow would have been easily seen on the other side.

Kazuma wasn't the only one who noticed.

A shrill scream burst from the room making both Kazuma and Ayano leap in fright.

The wind made staggered backwards and failed to catch himself as his body dissipated from the hallway into another room. It was dark in the room, and for a second Kazuma was shocked by the void. The shock was overrun by protectiveness as he ignored the fleeting works of logic trying to figure it out.

Ignoring his unease, he pressed through the wall and into the hallway. Ayano was already reaching to the door and Kazuma knew what was about to happen.

Another scream echoed and Ayano flinched, staggering away from the door.

A dark shadow became to loom up across the paper screen, reaching nearly six foot before the door began to move. A huge man filled the doorway and Kazuma felt his blood run cold. It was as thought darkness itself stood on two legs before him.

Kazuma fought the urge to flee, ignoring the bile trying to rise up his throat with sickness. He struggled to smother the terror inside of him, but pushed himself to stay; he needed to.

Kazuma understood the beast, or at least why it was as it was. Ayano had just been a kid when she saw him, her mental ability to cope must have transformed him into something she could deal with. She couldn't accept him as a human. At this point, neither could Kazuma.

A black tangled limb darted for her and Ayano screamed, scrambling back on her tiny feet. Kazuma's body leapt in between them but the arm drove straight through. He couldn't interfere, he couldn't stop the memories. The inability to help her hurt him more than any physical pain could.

The monster caught her and was dragging her by the hair back to the room. Ayano fought and kicked and screamed, trying to break free with desperation. But she was so small and her magic had yet to bloom. Kazuma followed her kicked and screaming body until she was thrown face first into the hard wood of the floor. The sliding door was slammed shut and locked right behind the monster.

Ayano looked around and as she did, Kazuma watched in horror as more and more of the black beasts rose from the shadows, surrounding her.

Kazuma shrunk to his knees, watching them tower above him. His heart pounded against his rib cage so hard he feared the bones would break.

"GO AWAY!" Kazuma yelled, swinging his arms back and forth but unable to do anything.

Ayano's voice screamed in unison with his, snapping him back to his senses. He took a deep breath, held it and let it release.

 _This just Ayano's emotions, calm down, these aren't yours._ He couldn't help but feel a little doubt question his emotion. Ayano's emotions only influenced his, they couldn't control him. The terror he felt was nearly all his own.

It only got worse.

Ayano's hands fell forwards at the kick against her back. She yelped as her hands slid forwards on something sticky, dropping her entire front into the puddle of dense liquid.

Ayano scrambled to sit, her hands rising in front of her face. At first, she didn't know what it was, but as cold, chilling laughter echoed in the room around her, a fraction of light seeped in; enough to see her hands turn red.

She froze, her stiff cold eyes following the darkened trail. Kazuma watched as the blood rose from the shadows of her memory, splattered across the doors and walls, the floors and cracks, the broken tables and paper. Bodies were everywhere. As far as her eyes could see, bodies laid strewn across the floor, stomachs half emptied on the floor, heads severed from shoulders, eyes, ears and tongues missing. But most distinct of all, was the black etched cross carved against every ones chest and over each eye; the symbol of the witch hunters.

Ayano went cold, her entire body shaking in fear. It was overwhelming her emotions, her young fragile mind, to see such chaos and horror. So she did the only thing she had known what to do.

Run.

Ayano shot to her feet faster than the monsters had expected. She ignored the closed door and threw her body through it, the wood and paper collapsing under her weight.

Sharp piercing screams shot through the air making Kazuma's ears stab with pain.

But he ran and ran, each hallway twisting and turning with heart thumping beats drumming against his head.

Run. Run. Run faster.

Screams echoed and silenced from every part of the house as they ran and ran, looking for any kind of sanctuary from the nightmare unfolding.

"MOTHER!" She screamed over and over again. "MOTHER!" Shadows loomed on the walls behind them following and growing close the longer they ran.

Kazuma feared they would catch up, and just as he thought that, something tugged at Ayano's leg bring her collapsing down onto her face. She screamed and tried to kick free but the dark ooze clutching to her head wouldn't let go. One of the monsters had ambushed her.

Kazuma felt panic rise in his chest, his heart beating like a humming bird wanted to fly away, run. But he couldn't and neither could Ayano, she kicked and screamed, calling for her mother's name.

She wasn't going to come.

A white light burst across the arm of the dark creature. It didn't hurt him, though it shocked him enough to let go.

Ayano was grabbed and pulled to her feet, flying straight into a full-speed run at the pull of the arm holding her.

Kazuma traced the pale arm up onto a pair of narrow shoulders; it was a woman, her long red hair snaked down her back in long waves. She glanced back over her shoulder to see for followers and in that face, Kazuma saw Ayano.

Crimson Kinnagi.

Relief flooded him at the sight of her, the panic in his chest soothing a great amount. He was safe with her. Her orange eyes flashed a brilliant white as two flaming beasts charged past the running pair. Two silver lions gave a terrifying roar, their brightness fighting the grasps of the shadows they blocked.

"Run, Ayano." Crimson yelled, pulling her daughter as fast as she could.

"Mommy, I- I can't." Ayano cried.. Her little legs ached with exhaustion, her feet threatened to trip her up again and again.

Crimson saw it too. She reached down and swept the little girl into her arms, managing to keep her pace as she rushed through to the house, looking for the way out.

They must have gone full circle as Crimson came to halt besides the open porch door. She glanced down both hallways, and when nothing appeared she took the daring move to fly through the door, leaping over the porch and landing straight into the garden.

At full run, she had only managed to cross halfway towards a lake before a knife sliced into her thigh. She came down with a scream, Ayano tumbling from her arms into the water.

"AYANO!" Crimson screamed.

Kazuma leapt to the edge as his chest grew heavy. He couldn't breath, his arms and legs fought the heavy air around him, desperate to breath but unable to.

He was drowning.

Ayano was drowning.

A snatch on his arm rippled pain through his shoulder as it dislocated with the sharp tug pulling her up to the surface. Both Ayano and Kazuma let out a sharp scream of pain at their first breath of air.

A darkness held the small girl pinned to the floor with his foot, her arm pinned around her back. Ayano cried, trying to writhe free but when pain from her shoulder became too much she stopped still.

"AYANO!" Crimson yelled, crawling desperately across the grass towards her daughter.

A second darkness stood over her, lifting its hand with a flickering glint and sailing a second knife into her lower spine. He could almost hear the nerves severing. Crimson screamed in pain and the darkness laughed.

"MOTHER!" Ayano screamed. White flames began to burn around Crimson's wounds and the darkness' laughter stopped. It's eyes went icy cold as it lifted another blade. With a flick of its wrist the hand came down and the knife hit her throat.

For a few seconds, Crimson looked to her daughter as her blood flooded her neck, and with one last lonely smile, she managed to mouth the words _'Be strong'._

Ayano's body went still, her eyes staring at her mother's quiet, blood-stained body. "Mot...her?"

Both darkness looked at her and laughed smiles cracking through their inked faces.

Kazuma's body blew into flames, a fever as hot as the fires of hell raging through him. He let out a gargled cry, his body collapsing to the floor. He choked, scrambling to the edge of the water, trying to suckle the water to cool anything, but his insides were raging and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He turned to Ayano and found her body perfectly still. A sweat had broken out on her pale skin but she was remaining deadly still. Ayano was making her contract.

But, why couldn't he see it? He remembered something the spirit of the wind had told him a long time ago, and that contract was between the contractor and the spirit alone- meaning even in her memories, he could not bear witness to the great fire spirit.

Moments passed and the darkness grew weary. Several of them flooded into the yard to see the commotion, blood and death reeking from their bodies.

They eyed Ayano, silver crosses appearing around their necks, dark hats shaping the crown of their faces. Witch Hunters. Their voices were cold harsh whispers back and forth to each other looking down at the girl.

And then they fell silent.

Kazuma's heart shuddered in his chest, the air swept out of his lungs as a great pressure collapsed over his body. Something heavy and strong began to fill up inside him, threatening to make his body burst.

Ayano's body flinched.

By reaction, the darkness removed his foot and staggered back, their red eyes locked onto her body. She moved and the darkness retreated a little.

Ayano staggered and swayed to her feet. Her short red hair stuck to her face, smeared with blood as she tipped her chin towards the darkness, her dark eyes opening.

Her _crimson_ eyes.

A sharp shrill erupted from one of the darkness, a knife revealing in his hand. He was the one who had killed her mother, and as his wrist swung the blade was released into the air. Seconds away from her face, the blade stopped and collapsed into a puddle of boiled silver.

The darkness stared at it in horror, their bodies fleeing backwards. White light burst from her body in a ripple. A ghost of flames passing across the entire estate.

The darkness panicked, patting their bodies to make sure they hadn't died. Their eyes turned angry, shrill screams piercing the air, they dived for her.

Seconds before it touched her, the darkness went up in crimson flames, a pile of ash left in its place.

The other darkness' screamed, and some ran, a few tried to fight.

One ran to her mother's body almost crushing it as it fled, but before it touched her, white light sprang to life around her, shoving it backwards only to be consumed by red flames. It wasn't Crimson who made the barrier. It was Ayano.

The flames jumped and leapt from one darkness to another. Flames rising into the sky as trees and grass and the house caught fire; black, green and purple flames and other colours began to appear, each property finding some way to kill and destroy the darkness' shutting off their cries.

Kazuma watched in horror at the vengeful fire consumed the entire estate

Kazuma felt that feeling once before, and now he felt Ayano seek it once again. She wouldn't find it. There was no satisfaction in revenge.

As the last of the building collapsed onto the ground, the white fires protecting Ayano and her mother faded, along with the fire raging on the plot. Everything was just a pile of ash, and the world had become silent of screams. Every one else was dead.

Voice echoed in the distance, one he could vaguely make out as Jugo. But before he could reach her, Ayano's eyes faded to gold and her body collapsed. The heat disappearing leaving an ice cold emptiness behind.

…

 **KAZUMA**

Kazuma's eyes flickered open, his entire body aching and stiff. He felt numb to the touch, but couldn't ignore the heat warming the back of his neck. His eyes looked up to meet a pair of golden eyes staring down at him, a sad smile on her lips. "Morning, sleepy head." Ayano greeted him.

"Ayano..." Kazuma uttered. He groaned as he rose to sit, a headache pounding in to the back of his skull.

He pinched his fingers into the bridge of his nose, and rubbed. As he did it, everything came rushing back.

"You're awake." Kazuma stated, turning back to face her.

Both her eyebrows rose with a quirk of her lips. "Evidently."

It was faint amusement on her part, but she failed to hide that sadness radiating off her in waves.

It was quiet for a few moments as Ayano's head dropped down to fiddle with the hem of her skirt. Kazuma reached out, his hand sliding under her hair and cupping the softness of her cheek.

Her head jerked up, eyes searching his face with surprise. They softened at what he could only assume was his pained expression, and her head leaned into his touch. "I'm sorry you had to see all that." Ayano whispered.

Kazuma felt an ache in his heart. "Listen to me," He said, moving close enough to wrap both his hands around her face. His eyes stared directly into hers, their faces but a few millimetres apart. "If I could, If I had the power, I wished you never had to go through any of that. But you did. And although I wished you was the one who hadn't had to relive all of that, there was no way I wasn't going to be there for you. Do you understand?"

Ayano's eyes were wide on her face, her bottom lip trembling. He continued to stare hard at her before a small smile pulled up on her lips. "Yeah," She whispered. "I understand."

"Good." Kazuma said, moving her hands from the soft warmth of her face much to the revealed disappointment of Ayano's face.

He chuckled, reaching up to brush her hair behind her ears, as his face pulled back.

Her breath hitched as his fingers grazed over her cheeks, skimming the edge of her mouth.

As much as he loved to tease her, now wasn't the time for flirting. "We need to talk." He said, and felt the atmosphere change from pink fuzz to an instant dreary heaviness.

Ayano sighed, the rose cheeks turning back to their pale colour as she rose from her cushion. She looked out the open door, a flicker of memories passing across her face. "I know somewhere we can talk."

Kazuma rose and as Ayano began to move forward, his hand reached out and encircled hers. She jerked and turned to look at their hands and then him before a pretty pink blush bloomed on her cheeks and she turned away with embarrassment.

Just because he said it wasn't the time, doesn't mean he could stop himself.

…

 **KAZUMA**

The open lake across the Kinnagi gardens twinkled in the clear blue weather. The sun was shining and flowers were sprouting in the spring season's coaxes. It was inappropriate weather if you asked him. Shouldn't it be cloudy or raining or something?

Ayano opened her mouth, catching Kazuma's attention, but then she closed it again. They both sat side by side on the bank, Ayano's eyes staring out into a distance further than the water, and Kazuma's eyes staring at her. The sun illuminated the shadows under her eyes but also brought out the fire-red colour of her hair. The same colour she got from her mother.

Ayano mouth floundered some more, trying to find a place to start. There wasn't much more she could say about that night that Kazuma didn't know, that he hadn't already witnessed. Except, there was one thing.

Just as he was about to ask, Ayano began to speak.

"My mother was a pacifist, or at least that's what she told me. Her and Father always argued about teaching me to fight." A wistful smile pulled on her lips. "She always showed me that magic can be used for other things than fighting."

Kazuma thought back to the blue creatures Crimson had created to play with her daughter.

"Healing was one of them." Ayano continued. "She had the white flame. She could heal anything, but it took a lot of effort and she was always really weak afterwards. Not to mention if she ever got injured, she couldn't control the flames healing her. They just did."

Ayano's voice softened to almost a whisper at what she said next. "For such a wonderful person to die like that...it's so cruel." Her face contorted in pain, but no tears brimmed from her eyes. At his look, it was as if she read his mind. "I've never cried over it, you know. Maybe it was that I didn't remember or something but even now I still can't cry. Does that make me weird? I mean, when you're mother is..." She paused for a moment working up courage to say it. " _murdered,_ people usually cry...right? But I can't. Why can't I cry? What's wrong with me?"

The pleading look she sent him tore his heart right out of his chest.

His arms came up and enveloped her, saying nothing as he squeezed her close against his chest. He pressed his face into the smooth crook of her neck, and held on for dear life, hoping she wouldn't break apart. "Nothing." Kazuma whispered, the broken edge to his voice making Ayano flinch. "You're perfect."

And that was all it took.

Sobs broke from her mouth, her arms gripping around his waist like a vice as she broke down and cried.

Over a decade later, she finally cried for the pain she went through, for the people she missed, for the mother she lost.

She cried for it all.


End file.
